Full Circle
by TamaraNita
Summary: Nick Jordan is away from the ED, and so Zoe and Adam are in charge. Adam arrives back from his holiday in chapter 3. Both Zoe and Adam notice a change in Kirsty, but neither know what to do.
1. Wake Up Call

The loud shrill of the alarm clock jolted Kirsty back to consciousness. She rolled over to turn it off and sighed deeply. Work time again.

Reaching the bathroom Kirsty grabbed the sink to keep herself steady, "Woah" she thought, the room spinning around her. She took some pain killers and dressed quickly, the sooner she got out the house the better.

"Nita?" she said as she entered the kitchen. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep" her daughter replied, turning to face her mother.

"Everything alright sweetie?" Kirsty asked, walking over to where her daughter sat, crouching down to look her in the eyes. There was something up with Nita, something she wasn't telling. "Nita?"

Kirsty could tell that Nita was trying to find the words.

"Mum... I...". The sound of Warren coming down the stairs suddenly made Nita jump up, "I'll just go and get my bag then I'm ready for school". Kirsty's eyes widened, confused by her daughters behaviour. Not wanting to face Warren again this morning she grabbed her flask of coffee kissed him on the cheek and hastily left the room. Nita was already waiting by the car.

Pulling up outside the school, Kirsty reached out to touch Nita's arm. Her daughter turned her head and looked deep into her mothers eyes. "Mum, I am worried about dad. I saw him in your room yesterday, he was going through your things. He looked really upset. What's going on mum?". The silence that followed Nita's question was a painful one. Kirsty hated lying to her daughter. "Nothing darling. Everything is fine. Your dad, her just gets a bit upset sometimes when he can't do things that he used to do." As she leaned over to give Nita a hug, Kirsty felt a sudden pain in her head. "Mum? You okay?". "Nita I'm fine" Kirsty responded, a bit sharper than she meant to. Nita looked hurt by her mums defensiveness, grabbed her bag and slammed the car door. "Great" thought Kirsty, "it's not her fault."

"Kirsty...Kirsty...KIRSTY". Zoe's voice grew loud as she finally got a response. Kirsty now facing Zoe looked rough to say the least, but still she was late, again. "My office. Now."

"Tess is on the warpath. Jay covered for you earlier, something about you chasing test results for him. I'm in charge while Nick is away, and I'm not having anyone on the team letting us down. Late again Kirsty, come on. You know they are looking to make job cuts.".

"Sorry Zoe, it won't happen again." Kirsty's head was pounding. She could feel blood trickling down her neck, she knew it needed stitches.

"Heard that one before." Zoe's voice tailed off. After a few moments of silence Zoe continued, "if you've got nothing else to say then I suggest you start working on your excuses for Tess". Zoe stood up and opened the door to her office, gesturing for Kirsty to leave.

Standing up Kirsty suddenly felt as though someone had kicked her legs out from underneath her. Her head was pounding so hard she couldn't see straight. She lightly touched the back of her head, the source of the pain. The room was spinning and the sight of blood on her hand was the last thing she saw before her head hit the floor.

"Kirsty, Kirsty can you hear me? It's Zoe. Kirsty?".


	2. A Stitch in Time

"Kirsty, Kirsty can you hear me? It's Zoe. Kirsty?".

Kirsty's eyes flickered open and she was greeted with the sight of a concerned look on Zoe's face. That was all that she needed. Another person watching her. Slowly she sat up and propped her fragile body against the desk.

"Kirsty?" said Zoe uncertainly, not knowing how to play it, "let me have a look at your head?".

"No. It's fine".

"Kirsty, it isn't, let me have a look". Realising that she wasn't going win this one Kirsty positioned herself so that Zoe could tend to her head.

Flinching slightly at Zoe's light touch, Kirsty bit her lip. The cut on the back of her head was a lot deeper than she had realised.

"It's going to need stitches." Zoe said, "stay here, I'll go and get some."

As Zoe headed out the door Kirsty slumped back wondering what she was going to say. The questions were going to start as soon as she got back. "Somehow" thought Kirsty, "I hit it on a cupboard door just isn't going to cut it". Deciding that she couldn't face any questions, and the fact that she was already late, Kirsty got up and made towards the door. Opening it she came face to face with Zoe.

With raised eyebrows Zoe questioned, "Going somewhere?".

"I...errrm...I..."

There was a look of understanding in Zoe's eyes, "No questions. Ill just sort your head out and let you go. Told Tess you were doing some admin for me." Kirsty managed a weak smile as Zoe set about cleaning up the wound on her head.

Before Zoe had let her leave her office she had made sure Kirsty had taken some pain killers, and now with the pain in the back of her head slowly ebbing away, Kirsty opened the doors to the emergency department. Nothing unusual about the site that met her eyes. Two names on the computer flashing red, Noel carefully balancing a pile of records as he attempted to file them and a handful of patients waiting to be seen.

"Someone's been skiving this morning... it's alright for some". Jays voice reached Kirsty's ears, and she turned round to see his jolly face grinning at her. He took one look at the dark circles around her eyes, "looks like you had a heavy night". Kirsty couldn't help but let a tear roll down her cheek. "Hey, hey I was only joking Kirst." His kind words were too much and a wave of emotion overwhelmed her. Jay was quick on the up take and ushered her into the staff room. Gently clicking the door shut behind them, Jay lifted his arms and embraced Kirsty in a tight hug as her sobbing became more persistent.

"Jay..."

"Hey hey, don't worry. It's okay. A Jay hug will make everything better."

Pulling back and wiping the tears from her eyes, Kirsty looked at Jay, "I'm sorry. Bad morning. Bad week. Thanks Jay". She managed a weak smile, and Jay said, "I'm always her you know?", reaching into his pocket a producing a tissue, he handed it to Kirsty. With a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, Jay exited and left Kirsty to tidy herself up.

"Right. What have we got?" Kirsty appeared up behind Jay.

"Suspected fractured wrist cubicle two, unexplained vomiting cubicle 6. Think I'll take cubicle two" he smiled handing a set of notes to Kirsty.

"Play you for it", Kirsty grinned.

"One. Two. Three", Kirsty's hand formed the shape of a rock, Jay's a pair of scissors.

"Cubicle six it is then", Jay said with a wink at Kirsty.

Kirsty looked up at the clock. Three hours. Three hours and she would be making her way home. Back to Warren. At that moment she raised her hand to the back of her head where her stitches were. Her hair was matted, the dried blood made it hard to the touch. Maybe tonight would be different. She could cook a nice meal for them, Nita was going to a mates so it would just be the two of them. A few DVD's and an early night.

"Right" she said pulling back the cubicle curtain, "X-Ray results are back. It is a fracture so we are going to have to put a cast on your arm. Now what colour would you like poppet?" Kirsty showed the young girl the choice of colours and smiled as the girl replied "Pink".

"My daughter would have picked pink too. Good choice".

Just as Kirsty started dressing the little girls arm, Zoe walked over.

"Everything alright?"

"Nurse Kirsty is going to give me a pink cast" grinned the girl.

"Is she? That's going to be nice." Zoe replied, gently brushing Kirsty's arm. Kirsty looked up and Zoe gave a little nod and a look that said 'everything okay?'. Kirsty nodded back. 'If only she knew' she thought.

The last three hours of her shift passed relatively quickly. Kirsty stood by the front desk, the rush of patients had now cleared and she was using the quite few minutes to take some more pain killers and dose herself up with coffee. "How's the head?". Zoe's voice was filled with genuine concern.

"Yeh its fine" Kirsty lied.

"That's why you've been knocking back the pain killers all afternoon?" Zoe looked Kirsty deep in the eyes. She could tell that there was something that she didn't know, something that was troubling Kirsty. "I'm always here you know? If you ever need someone, need a chat..."

"I know Zoe, thanks" Kirsty replied, a sudden stabbing pain in the back of her head making her vision go blurry. Grabbing the desk to steady herself, Zoe grabbed her arm. "Come on, home time. Your shifts nearly over anyway." Walking to the staffroom together Kirsty knew that she wasn't going to be able to keep her secret much longer.

After taking her bag from her locker, changing her shoes and putting her coat on Kirsty was ready to leave and almost at the door when Zoe threw her phone back into her locker and shut the door. "Men", she said, "who needs them? Keep an eye on your head, any problems come back here, the stitches should work but the wound was deep. Get an early night, Adam's back tomorrow. Let's show him the department can still function without him". A smile grew on Zoe's face, "his ego doesn't need another boost." Kirsty couldn't help but smile, partly due to Zoe's joke about Adam, but partly due to the fact that Adam would be here when she got in in the morning.

The staff room door opened and Jay popped his head round, "Kirsty, your husbands here to pick you up, said he has a surprise for you". Jay and Zoe exchanged a look as Kirsty thanked Zoe, and Jay and left the staff room. "Someone's in for a good night" Jay joked.

"So are we. 4 Hours left then pub here we come." Zoe replied, she always regretted the double shifts she agreed to.

Looking out of the window a few minutes later Zoe caught sight of Kirsty and Warren leaving. The sight that met her eyes wasn't what she had expected. Warren's hand was on Kirsty's arm, not, Zoe noted, in a loving way though. His grip seemed tight and there was something of a reluctance in the way Kirsty was walking. As they reached their car she could have sworn she saw Kirsty flinch away from him. She had no time to dwell however as a voice alerted her back to reality, it was Adam.

"So. What did I miss?..."


	3. Too good to be true

Opening the front door, Kirsty put her bag on the stairs, her coat over the banister and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Warren followed her slowly. Gone were the days when she would help him out of the car. Gone were the days when she would support him whilst he was walking. Today had been hard. Kirsty hated having to lie to Zoe.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" Warren's voice was stern.

Kirsty looked up and noticed what a good wife would have noticed as soon as she walked into the room. The table was laid, three places were set – Nita would be home. Two wine glasses at either end of the table and a bottle of white in the middle.

"Warren it's lovely" Kirsty said truthfully.

"So lovely you didn't even notice".

Kirsty hated to admit it but he had her, she hadn't noticed. There was an awkward silence. Warren had a look in his eyes, one that Kirsty didn't like.

"Sit down" he said. Kirsty obliged. "Nita" he called, before walking over to the oven and taking out what he had cooked for them.

"Smells good" Nita said as she entered the room. As always she went to help her dad. She carried one of the trays over to the table and took the seat next to Kirsty.

Dinner passed uneventfully, Nita chatting about her maths test and a school trip she wanted to go on. Kirsty had noticed that Warren had been drinking a lot of wine. He shouldn't even be drinking with the medication that he was on. As he went to poor the last of the bottle into his glass Kirsty raised her eyebrows, "Do you think you should?" she questioned.

"Don't give me that look. I'll do what I want." His answer was blunt.

"When is Adam back from his holiday mum?" Nita's innocent question saw Warren glare at Kirsty and Kirsty avoid eye contact with him. "Mum" Nita repeated.

"Errrm t.. tomorrow. He's back tomorrow sweetheart".

"Your mum can't wait to see Dr Perfect". The room fell silent with the remark Warren made. Kirsty had sensed the change in atmosphere in the room.

"Got any homework to do darling?" Kirsty addressed Nita.

"Yeh... will you help me with my biology mum?".

"Go and make a start and I'll be up in a bit". With that Nita got up and kissed both of her parents on the head and made her way upstairs.

"Couldn't wait to start talking about Adam could you?" Warren stood up as he said it. Kirsty didn't move, just stayed sat in her. "Don't ignore me".

"Warren... I..."

"Mr perfect. Not a stupid old cripple like me eh?"

"Adam's just a friend Warren".

"I'm not stupid" he hissed, spitting in Kirsty's face.

"Warren not tonight, I haven't got it in me. Please let me go and help Nita" Kirsty pleaded, she knew Warren to well to think that he would just let her go, but she decided to try anyway. She slowly stood up from her chair.

"You think I'm stupid, that I don't know what you've been doing behind my back". Warren spat. Kirsty knew what was coming and ran for the door. Warren, over the other side of the table got there first and slammed it shut. His arms flew through the air and pushed Kirsty against the wall. Pain seared through her body as her back made contact with the wall. Warren lifted his hand and hit Kirsty hard across the face. She cowered backwards tears rolling from her eyes. "Warren..." Kirsty started.

"You're my wife. Not anyone else's." Warren's fierce voice was loud. He landed a blow deep in Kirsty's stomach and she slumped on the floor. Her fragile and bruised couldn't take any more. Kirsty closed her eyes as she hit the floor. She wasn't sure how long Warren was kicking her for. She only became aware that he stopped when she heard the door close again and the television start to make a noise from the living room.

Kirsty managed to make it up to her bedroom, where she went into the bathroom and locked the door. She took a long look at herself in the mirror, and wondered how she had let her life become this bad. After some careful cleaning of her face with some warm water she was looking at her worn reflection in the mirror. She lifted a hand to carefully touch where her stitches were on the back of her head. There was no further bleeding which was a good sign. After carefully changing Kirsty left the comfort of the bathroom, not wanting to catch sight of herself in the mirror again.

Once in bed Kirsty took a couple of pain killers, and after checking and double checking the time on her clock took a sleeping tablet.


	4. Broken Feelings

As she got dressed she was painfully aware of the fresh bruises on her stomach and her arms. She hadn't slept much due to the pain she felt every time she moved. Still Warren hadn't come to bed until late and when he did she could smell the wine on his breath, meaning that he probably wouldn't wake whilst she was getting up.

Kirsty was down in the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. Opening it she was faced with two smiling girls. "We're walking to school with Nita", the taller blonde one said, Kirsty knew this to be Ella.

"Nita" Kirsty called. As Nita rushed down the stairs she said,

"Might be a bit late home mum, we're thinking of going to the park after school".

"Alright sweetheart, just don't be too late".

Nita smiled and nodded giving her mum a hug. Kirsty winced as Nita made contact with her bruised ribs.

"You okay Mrs Clements?" Ella asked innocently.

"Yup, fine thanks. Off you go Nita, you don't want to be late". Nita seemed reluctant to let her mum go, and Kirsty wanted to know why, but she couldn't ask now, she couldn't be late again, and she didn't want Nita to be either.

Thirty minutes later Kirsty had changed into her scrubs and was drinking her coffee in the staff room. On time today. And Adam was back too.

"Anyone seen Kirsty?" Zoe's question was not aimed at anyone in particular, just anyone who was listening.

"Staffroom" said Noel, she came in about five minutes ago.

"Thanks Noel", Zoe said as she made her way towards the staff room door.

"Nice to see you're on time this morning Kirsty". Zoe's smile was warm and Kirsty felt instant guilt about having to lie to her. "How's your head?" said Zoe gesturing towards the back of Kirsty's head. In all honesty she hadn't even noticed any pain in her head, her battering from last night was more pain.

"Yeah. It's okay. Thanks... for yesterday" Kirsty replied looking at the floor.

Zoe didn't like to see Kirsty like this, all closed off. After a few moments of silence she reached out and touched the top of Kirsty's arm. Kirsty flinched away and knocked her coffee mug off the worktop. Zoe looked at Kirsty, and was about to say something when the door burst open.

"Ladies," Adam's voice was cheery as usual, "incoming RTC need you in resus". Adam shot Kirsty a smile and left. Kirsty grabbed her stethoscope and followed pursuit. Zoe sighed, tidied up the pieces of broken mug from the floor and made her way to resus as well.

"So how was the holiday?" Kirsty asked, glad to be having a normal conversation for once.

"Sun, sea and alcohol, what else could you ask for? Miss me?" Adam grinned and Kirsty's mood instantly lifted.

"Course I did", Adam didn't need any more than that, he hugged Kirsty tightly. Zoe looked over and caught sight of the look on Kirsty's face, relief.

"Glad to be back then?" Kirsty asked.

"Hmm. Well I'm glad to see Zoe hasn't run the place into the ground without me being here".

"Ha. Ha. Mr Funny" Zoe called across from the other side of the desk.

Kirsty smiled, Adam ducked as Zoe launched her pen through the air at him.

An hour later Kirsty was working her magic with an uncooperative teenager in cubicles and Zoe and Adam were talking in the staffroom. "Seriously Zoe, you did a good job".

"Glad you're back. It's not the same without Nick." Zoe said truthfully.

"He'll be back when he's ready."

Zoe looked thoughtfully at Adam, she couldn't just let it go. "What do you know about Kirsty's husband?"

"Bit of a random question Zo, Warren, used to be a fireman. That's about it".

"Hmmm..." Zoe looked thoughtful.

"What? What is it?" Adam questioned anxiously.

"I don't know. She isn't herself. She won't open up to me. I tried to get her to talk when I did her stitches."

"What stitches?" Adam's eyes grew wide.

"She had a cut on the back of her head, was quite deep, I patched her up", Zoe decided to leave out the mood swings and fainting, "Jay mentioned she had a bit of a cry on his shoulder too..."

"Just keep an eye on her." Adam said.

"I just wish I knew what was wrong, so I could help". Adam reached out and squeezed Zoe's hand.

"Dr Hanna, pub tonight?" Jay's called from by cubicles.

"You bet." Zoe grinned.

"Adam?" Jay questioned.

"Only if Zoe's paying" came Adam's reply.

"I'm in", Lenny called.

Adam walked up to Kirsty, "You coming?". Kirsty looked up from the notes she was writing, and shook her head.

"Come on Kirst..." he persisted.  
"Adam I said no, drop it", Kirsty snapped the record folder shut and walked off. Zoe looked at Adam and raised her eyebrows.

"Five – four- three – two – one. End of shift" Jay announced. He walked over to the staffroom and saw that Kirsty was already changed and on her way out. This did not go unnoticed by Zoe and Adam.

"Someone's in a hurry" Adam said.

"You know there's definitely something not right..." Adam half nodded, and the pair of them watched her leave.

"I hear first rounds on you Dr Hanna," Lenny grinned putting his jacket on.

Zoe was about to reply when a familiar voice said what they all wanted to hear. "All right children, first rounds on me", Nick said. Zoe turned round and embraced Nick in a hug.

"All right", Jay said, nodding at Nick.

"Welcome back Mr Jordan" Lenny smiled.


	5. Please don't leave

Chapter 5

Something was wrong with Nita, Kirsty new that much. She wasn't herself at the moment, quiet, withdrawn and she even turned down the offer of a lift to town from her dad. Kirsty hated having to work the Saturday shifts, especially when all she wanted to do was spend time with Nita. She had, Kirsty noticed, been spending a lot of time with her friends recently, coming home late from school, leaving early. Opening the doors to the emergency department and quickly moving out of the way of Dixie and Jeff pushing a trolley out, Kirsty knew that she was going to have to make the time to talk to Nita.

"Nurse Clements".

"Mr Jordan".

"Need your skills in cubicle 2. 14 year old female, can't get anything out of her". Jordan handed Kirsty the notes.

"I'm on it" Kirsty replied heading towards the cubicle. Kirsty's eyes widened as she read the notes.

"Tally, I'm Nurse Clements, Kirsty, want to tell me how you got the cut on your face?" Kirsty said reaching out to touch it. The young girl jerked away from her touch. "Tally?"

"I fell over. On the way to school." Tally couldn't look Kirsty in the eye.

"Tell you what I'll clean your face and then you can see if you feel like telling me what really happened eh?" Kirsty offered a smile as she pulled the curtain across.

Reaching into the cupboard and pulling out the cotton wool and swabs she needed Jordan approached. "Any luck in cubicle two? I'm about to call the parents".

"No, wait, don't. I've got a feeling she won't open up if her parents are here".

"Kirsty, you know the rules, she's a minor her parents have to be called…"

"And you're a stickler for rules all of a sudden?" there was an air of annoyance in Kirsty's voice that she hadn't meant to be there.

"First day back Kirsty, don't want to be upsetting the wrong people do I?" He shot a glance over at Zoe. It was only then that Kirsty noticed Zoe was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

"Nah, I definitely think it would take more than forgetting to ring some parents for you to get into her bad books…."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nick looked genuinely confused.

"Forgot my phone when I left yesterday. Had to pop back. Couldn't help noticing you and Zoe were more then cosy in the staffroom…" Kirsty grinned.

"You've got 1 hour, then I'm calling them". Nick said. With a smile Kirsty shut the cupboard door and went back over to the cubicle.

"Right Tally let's see what the damage is" she said reaching out and starting to clean the open wound on the girls face. "Alright sweetheart, want to try telling me again how you got this injury?"

"I told you, I fell over. It was stupid. I'm stupid".

"Hey, hey don't say that", Kirsty stopped what she was doing and sat down on the end of the bed.

"It's true. He says so".

"Who darling, who says so?" Kirsty didn't want to push her but she was on borrowed time.

"He says I'm worthless. No one notices because they don't care." Tears were brimming in the young girls eyes as she spoke. This had to be the worst part of the job for Kirsty, seeing a young girl so distraught and not being able to help.

"Is someone hurting you? Did someone do this to you?" Kirsty reached for her hand, and in doing so noticed a bruise on her arm. A bruise that looked so familiar, like a mark of someone holding her wrist so tight she couldn't move it. "If you tell me who did it I can help. Was it someone at school?".

"What, no one. Told you. I fell over".

"Mr Jordan is calling your parents, they will be here soon, maybe you would rather talk to them?" A look of fear shot across Tally's face. Fear. Panic.

"My, my dad. Don't call him. Please." There was a sound of desperation in her voice. Kirsty looked deep into Tally's eyes.

"Why? Why don't you want him here? I'm sure he'll be worried sick about you".

"No he won't." Tally couldn't stop the tears streaming down her face as a sob escaped her lips. Kirsty reached over and held the girl tight. She was the same age as Nita, which made this even harder for her. In between sobs she managed to get some words out. "It's not his fault. He gets angry. It's only since mum left". Kirsty hadn't been expecting that. At all.

"I've got to go and get something…." Kirsty couldn't finish her sentence. She had to get out of there.

She slammed the staffroom door behind her, and raised her hands to her face as she cried hysterically. She hadn't noticed that Adam was in the room and didn't know what to do when she saw him. Adam knew. He rushed over to her a flung his arms around her.

"Hey, Kirsty what's happened? You're a mess" he said.

"She's 14. The same age as Nita. It could have been Nita in there…."

"What could have been Nita?"

"I can't do it anymore Adam. I don't even get the chance to talk to my own daughter, there's something wrong with Nita and I don't know what it is. What sort of mother does that make me?"

"Kirsty, stop, you're a great mother, you know that. Nita loves you…" Adam always knew what to say. Kirsty looked up at him, her face in his hands. She started to move her face closer to his. Their lips were almost touching when the door opened. Kirsty jumped back and wiped her face.

"Adam," Lenny's Scottish accent filled the silent room, "need you out here".

Adam looked at Kirsty and left. Her feelings were all over the place. All she knew was that she had wanted that moment to last forever. Her and Adam, alone.

Kirsty watched helplessly as Tally and her dad left the emergency department. There was nothing she could do, but watch her go.

"Earth to Kirsty"

"Zoe. What can I do?"

"You can help sort out these files, some old drunk went right into the filing cabinet" she said handing her a pile of paper, "It's not your fault you know. If the kid won't say anything then there's nothing we can do".

"Doesn't make it any easier though does it?"

"Well we all have to find ways of distracting ourselves…"

Kirsty smiled as she followed Zoe's gaze, Nick. "Hmmmm seems like someone's happy Mr Jordan is back". Kirsty smiled as Zoe's eye's grew wide and she opened and closed her mouth, obviously unsure of what to say. "Kirsty… I… We…"

"I think it's great. You both deserve to be happy", Kirsty smiled, and noticing the look on Zoe's face added, "I won't say anything". Zoe nodded and smiled.

"So, got anything good planned for the evening?" Kirsty asked.

"Anything but the pub."

"Bit too much to drink last night?"

"That's an understatement"

"Still, looks like you had fun at Nick's though…" Kirsty mocked. Zoe grinned.

"You?"

"Night in with Nita. Just me and her. Pizza and a movie I'm thinking". Kirsty knew she had to find out what was wrong with Nita. She had to.


End file.
